The Gospel & Epistles of John [Hardcover]

F. F Bruce (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: 1983

This volume actually contains two books, "The Gospel of John," and "The Epistles of John." From the back cover: "Available together for the first time, F.F. Bruce's commentaries on the Gospel of John and the Epistles of John deliver careful verse-by-verse exposition that will enrich all readers' understanding of the original text, its historical context, and its relevance for Christians today. Written by one of the most respected New Testament scholars of the twentieth century, these commentaries provide a solid starting point for all who seek to explore more deeply the New Testament books written by John."

Product Details

• Hardcover: 588 pages
• Publisher: Eerdmans Pub. Co (1983)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0802849156
• ISBN-13: 978-0802849151
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #177,564 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Superb commentary, August 1, 2006

By 

David C. Leaumont "Dave" (Bossier City, LA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Gospel & Epistles of John (Hardcover)

This has been reprinted recently for CBD.com and is a hard cover binding. This review is based on the reprint.

This writing is two separate works bound into one volume. Bruce's purpose as stated in his preface is the general student, not the scholar or specialist. He intends to give a detailed study for serious lay students. This purpose is skillfully accomplished by the author.

The first 425 pages deal with the Johannine gospel and the last 160 pages with his epistles. The indices for each only deal with each individual book within the volume. Bruce's source for his translation is the 1979 Nestle Aland Greek.

The first section on John's gospel begins with a general introduction. Bruce covers this vastly complex topic in relatively short order and discusses some of the controversy or critical study, which can fill volumes. But, he does give a decent brief discussion of the major topics that were present in the early 80s, and discusses the historical evidence regarding authorship. For a more indepth treatment, see Keener's 2-volume commentary. Then Bruce gives an outline of the gospel before proceeding to his verse-by-verse exposition. Each chapter of the book is divided by chapters found in John. He uses a smattering of textual and linguistic information that should be enough to help the pastor or lay student in preparation for teaching. He also deftly utilizes his extensive knowledge of the Old Testament to decipher controversial and often misunderstood passages found in John. An appendix is dedicated to the discussion of John 7:53- 8:11. Here he recognizes the textual difficulties, but concludes that traditional placement of this passage is likely to be correct.

Bruce's second work in this volume takes on a similar structure to the first with each epistle being introduced and then exposited. Bruce takes the traditional view of Johannine authorship, while recognizing the arguments against such a stance. He pays special attention to 1 John 5:7's use of the "three heavenly witnesses" found in the KJ. He discusses the history of exegesis of the verse and correctly states that the theology of the Trinity rests throughout Scripture and does not hang on this one verse.

Overall, Bruce has provided Christian students with a superb pastoral commentary that will prove very useful in the teaching and preaching environment. His use of the Old Testament makes this volume supersede his expectations that this book is not useful to scholars, as he discusses topics missed by the most recent scholarly commentators on John's writings. This is a superb commentary to add to the library of any student of Scripture.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars BRUCE IS THE BEST, April 16, 2010

By 

The El "John Edward L." (Africa) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Gospel & Epistles of John (Hardcover)

F.F.BRUCE IS THE MOST THOROUGH AND WELL ROUNDED AUTHOR I HAVE EVER READ. HE WAS ONE OF THE ONLY PEOPLE TO BE A MEMBER OF BOTH NT AND OT SOCIETIES IN ENGLAND.

5.0 out of 5 stars One of my new favorites, March 1, 2011

By 

Joshua B. Hughes (Hillsboro, Il) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Gospel & Epistles of John (Hardcover)

It is sad that I have been teaching the scriptures for many years but have never yet read Bruce until recently. This book was one of the more enlightening reads that I have encountered in a journey through John's Gospel.

Anyone who studies the writings of John will likely be overwhelmed by the cascade of literature that is available on this gospel. So the question that one might ask is why should I buy this book rather than another of the many available commentaries on the same subject. Let me give you a few reasons why this book stands out:

1. Bruce's knowledge of New Testament culture and history is excellent. There were stories that he was able to fill in that many of the other commentaries I have read were silent about. For one thing he knows a fair amount of information about the scrolls themselves and is able to comment authoritatively on the original text. He knows the history of the period well enough to connect things to the culture. For example: In John 9 Jesus heals a blind man on the sabbath which causes a rift among the Pharisees over whether Jesus is a sinner or whether he is of God. Bruce fills this in with material about the followers of Shammai and Hillel and this gives a new dimension to the story.

2. Bruce is easy to read. His book is well adapted for both scholars and layman. It is not weighed down by so many technical terms that is difficult to follow. It is written in clear language minus the unnecessary jargon. He does consult the Greek and provide varying viewpoints on occasions but it does not weigh down the book and distract from the main points of thought.

3. This book is written from a very conservative viewpoint. This is not to say that he is not critical of the text but he is less likely to make big leaps in deciphering symbols or phrases. He was of the reformed tradition theologically but is always hesitant and respectful when he discusses parts of John that tend to be divisive.

Overall, this is a great book and he covers thing about John that are not usually brought up in other commentaries. It comes highly recommended.